Split’s Cameroonian Says Croatia Has More Class

The sole Cameroonian playing in the Croatian first division believes his countrymen’s do not have the same class as Croatia, who drew each other in group stages at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil…

Henri Belle (above), who has plyed his trade in Croatia for the past three season, playing 63 games for Istra 1961 and RNK Split, says despite Cameroon’s good record at World Cups, Croatia has more quality on the park.

“Cameroon has a young side, I think individually Croatia is stronger. In the middle of the park Modrić and Kovačić are excellent, I remember Kovačić from (playing) Dinamo Zagreb. I like Mandžukić, great centre forward. Cameroon do not have these type of players. Eto’o is brilliant, but he is not young anymore, I do not know how he will cope with the demanding tournament play,” said Belle to daily Jutarnji list, adding that he had a feeling the draw would pan out how it did.

When the draw was on, I said to my roommate Antonio Mršić that Cameroon would be in the same group with Brazil and Croatia. When they drew out Croatia last, Mršić said I was crazy.

Croatia play Cameroon in their second match of the group on 18 June (21.00) in Manaus.